NEW YORK, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Dow Futures pointed to a higher open on Tuesday as lower growth forecasts from the International Monetary Fund spurred hopes that central banks would take more aggressive policy stances to accelerate economic improvement.

While the lower forecasts implied less demand for fuel through 2016, contributing to another leg lower in crude oil prices, Wall Street stocks were on track for a second straight day of solid gains, after a rally of more than 1 percent on Friday.

The IMF lowered its forecasts for global economic growth in both 2015 and 2016, projecting a 3.5 percent advance this year and 3.7 percent next year. Both forecasts are down by 0.3 percentage points. The IMF advised advanced economies to maintain accommodative monetary policies to avoid increases in real interest rates as cheaper oil increases the risk of deflation.

U.S. crude futures fell 3 percent to $ 47.22 per barrel, keeping the commodity – which is down more than 55 percent since June – near its lowest level since 2009.

FXCM Inc plummeted 90 percent to $ 1.21 in premarket trading on volume of more than 11 million shares, making it the most active premarket name on the New York Stock Exchange. The retail foreign exchange broker on Friday said it would get a $ 300 million loan from Leucadia National Corp to keep operating after losing millions from a recent surge of the Swiss franc. Late Monday, FXCM provided further details on the terms of the loan.

Investors continued to assess effects of the move by the Swiss National Bank on Thursday to lift the cap on the Swiss franc. The decision could foreshadow a large stimulus by the European Central Bank that would further weaken the euro, or be a safeguard against a possible Greek exit from the euro zone that could potentially destabilize the bloc.

U.S. stock futures are higher in pre-market trading for Friday, January 26. The Dow Futures are trading at 26,428.00 for...

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